Are special events really special?

Saturday

Oct 20, 2012 at 12:01 AM

Like a weather forecast calling for rain during a hurricane, you don't need a calendar to know that it is Biketoberfest time once again.

Like a weather forecast calling for rain during a hurricane, you don't need a calendar to know that it is Biketoberfest time once again.While leaf peeping and pumpkin patching are the usual weekend pursuits in other parts of the country this time of year, it's the rumble of bikers that dominates the scene here. And while residents may feel put off from time to time sharing the road with two-wheeled visitors, local businesses are poised to reap the benefits. "This is an opportunity for us to show off our county and show that we have 100 miles of trails and we have beautiful riding areas for motorcycles," said Doug Baxter, president of the Flagler County Chamber of Commerce & Affiliates.Baxter said the number of motorcyclists coming to Flagler County during Biketoberfest has been growing in recent years."We've seen an increase over the past four years of bikers coming up here," he said.The reasons for that growth seem to be right in line with how county tourism officials are promoting the area to tourists, touting Flagler County as the "Quiet Side" of Florida. "We have the beauty to offer, but we also have the hotels and the campgrounds," Baxter said. "A lot of the visitors don't want to be in the core of Daytona for the event."Flagler Beach architect Joseph Pozzuoli said there are positives and negatives to having more bikers venturing into Flagler County. "Certainly on the positive side they come and they get to enjoy our funky little beach town," he said. "They're bringing dollars to spend and that certainly helps our merchants, restaurateurs and others." Pozzuoli acknowledges that some residents are put off by the noise; the roar of loud pipes can be distracting. "It's probably more of a noise thing than it is traffic-wise," he said.But overall, Pozzuoli sees a lot of positives for the county during this and other special events. "It can't hurt our businesses," he said. "I'm really happy for any business that does well from this."Pozzuoli admitted that he might be a little prejudiced when it comes to Biketoberfest. "I, myself, ride a motorcycle, so I kind of enjoy partaking in the festivities," he said. "It's a good thing overall." Biketoberfest, along with other special events, is also a big part of the county's tourism development effort, according to Georgia Turner, vice president for tourism development at the chamber of commerce. "All of the special events that are around us are important to us," Turner said. "Just like with every part of the year, we have so much of what people are looking for, even during Biketoberfest." Turner said that while the tourism marketing effort does not include advertising in biker magazines, the county's visitflagler.org website does include a list of Biketoberfest-related events in Flagler. One change this year is an increased emphasis on social media marketing, Turner said."We probably a little more than usual promoted it on Facebook and Twitter," she said. "In my experience, bikers are looking more to social media. It's definitely part of our marketing mix because it is something people tell us they're looking for." Turner said as with most special events, one big concern is the weather. With the forecast for sunny days and mild nights, she said that will likely bring even more bikers to the county."It's pretty, so they will ride farther," she said. "We're trying to hook onto as many special events as we can. They're important to us."